Improvement in gaffs for vessels



T. G. THOMPSON.

Patented April 16, I878.

lIllHilll INV'ENTOR m. E m m W ATTORNEYS.

N-FETERS, PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER.VKASHINGfON. D C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

THOMAS C. THOMPSON, OF EVANSTON, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT I N GAFFS FOR VESSELS.

Specificatihn forming part of Letters Patent No. 202,485., dated April 16, 1878; application filed February 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS C. THOMPSON, of Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and Improved Gaff for Vessels, of which the following is a specification In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation Fig. 2, a top view; Fig. 3, an end view of my improved gafi' for the foreand-aft sails of vessels, shown as connected to the boom; and Fig. 4 is a side view of my improved boom and gafi" on smaller scale, with sail lowered and made fast.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts.

This invention relates to an improvement in the gaffs for the fore-and-aft sails of vessels, by which the chafing of the sheet is prevented, also the chafing of the gaff on the sail obviated when the same is lowered and made fast to the boom, and, lastly, the sail conveniently lashed to the boom and the gaff locked thereto in reliable manner, and without necessitating the boring of holes through the gait.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the boom, and B the gaff, of ibre-and-aft sails of vessels, to the outer end of which is applied a metal socket, G, with guide sheave or pulley D. Sidewise of the pulley D are arranged two rollers, D, which prevent chafing of the sheet on the gaff-recess: The gafi topsail sheet in most cases pulls sidewise, and causes thereby the chafing of the sheet on, the gaff, and also on the wooden portion of the same, which objectionable feature is entirely obviated by my arrangement of side rollers.

To the upper part of the socket O are applied a number of projecting lugs, a, in line with the pulley D, which are notched for applying the cord by which the sail is lashed to the gafl'. These notched lugs do away with the boring of holes and the weakening of the gaff.

When the gaff is lowered and the sail made fast to the boom, the end of the socket O is locked to an attachment, E, on the boom. This attachment consists of a hinged arm or standard, E, that swings on a cross-pin of the bearing on the boom, the swinging arm being retained in position on the bearing by projections 12, that enter corresponding recesses b of the bearing below the cross-pin. When the swinging arm is thrown into a horizontal position, its projections clear the recesses of the bearing, and admit of the arm being moved sidewise toward either end of the bearing, so as to be locked,when raised, to the recesses at either side of the bearing.

The upper end of the swinging arm enters a small socket hole or recess at the under side of the gafi socket G, and is locked thereto by a spring catch-pin or other suitable fastening device.

This attachment of the gaff and boom secures the gaff in a rigid position when lowered, and prevents the chafing on the sail, especially when lying at anchor in a heavy rolling sea. The gafl' may be readily detached for being raised by releasing the spring catch or pin. The end socket of the gafi is provided at the outermost end with two eyes, to which the rope for raising or lowering the gaff is ap-' plied. I

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination of the end socket of gaff, 'having suitable recess and locking device, with a swinging arm or standard of boom, to lock gaff to boom, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination of the gaff-socket, having locking devices, with a hinged arm or standard of the boom, that is secured by bottom projections to recesses of the bearing on the boom, to secure rigid position of arm when locked, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

THOMAS C. THOMPSON. 

